Police: Fireworks not allowed in South Lake Tahoe

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There are no fireworks allowed in South Lake Tahoe.

That’s the simple message from South Lake Tahoe Police who say they will vigilantly enforce fireworks laws to protect public health and safety because this area is particularly susceptible to dangerous wildfires.

California has some of the country’s most restrictive fireworks laws. Nearly all fireworks that explode, shoot into the air or move along the ground are defined as “dangerous” and illegal in the state.

South Lake Tahoe municipal ordinances do not allow any fireworks, even those deemed “safe and sane” by California, within the city limits.

The city’s ban applies to fireworks as small and simple as sparklers, according to police. “There are no types of legal fireworks in the city of South Lake Tahoe,” the department said.

With the Fourth of July coming up and thousands of revelers expected to gather in the city, South Lake Tahoe Police said they will confiscate any fireworks and cite violators of the fireworks laws.

Most violations are misdemeanors punishable by fines of $500 or more and up to one year in the county jail. Possession of larger fireworks may be prosecuted as a felony.

If a fire occurs because of unsafe use of fireworks, the people responsible are likely to face criminal charges and be held liable for any damages, the police department said.